Anyone ever seen black widow spiders in Utah?

[pixie1339]

I don't worry about bugs, spiders, or snakes much when I'm out hiking and camping. They are out there, but in general I think they want less to do with us than we want to do with them. The most important thing you can do to prevent an "incident" is to be aware of your surroundings, and don't put your hands or feet where you can't see them. The odds of something happening are pretty slim, so just get out there and have a good time!

 

[Nick]

Yeah, I swear we had a post here where someone with a lot of knowledge on the subject told me the same thing about snakebite kits. What I took from it is that they are actually a lot worse than nothing at all 99% of the time and that I should get rid of it from my kit (which I did). Can't find the post though....

 

[steve]

I will say, the sawyer extractor is pretty awesome for making hickeys on your arm. I never get tired of that.

 

[Laura]

I will say, the sawyer extractor is pretty awesome for making hickeys on your arm. I never get tired of that.

Bring one on our upcoming trip. We'll walk out with tons of hickeys and everyone will wonder what the hell went on out there

 

[John Kerby]

Well, I am going to bring it. If someone DOES get bit, I can't see how it would hurt to try it. If we are a full days hike out, then if it removed even some of the poison it would be worth something. Especially with a spider bite. I do not believe their venom would be as deep as a snakes. Maybe worthless.....But I have to believe they must have worked for someone, otherwise they would never sell.

 

[WasatchWill]

I have never seen a widow in the wilderness but have seen or caught at least a dozen in sheds, garages, and a BBQ grill I had. Also caught one out for a stroll on my kitchen floor once. That doesn't mean they don't exist in the wild and obviously they do based on DAA's pic above. However, if you are going to be roaming in Southern Utah, you are much more likely to wake up to a scorpion in your shoe than you are to encounter a widow.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

 

[DAA]

..., you are much more likely to wake up to a scorpion in your shoe than you are to encounter a widow.

I found a scorpion inside my sleeping bag when I was rolling it up one morning a few years ago. Didn't bite me, as far as I could tell? Definitely was right there inside my bag with me though.

- DA

 

[DAA]

.....But I have to believe they must have worked for someone, otherwise they would never sell.

That's the rationale my wife uses to explain how she repeatedly allows herself to be robbed through the mail...

It's a ding bat's approach to life. But it works for millions. So what do I know?

- DAA

 

[John Kerby]

A person putting their mouth on a bite to suck venom spreads THEIR germs, which can be life threatening, into your body. This? Maybe it will work, maybe it won't. I don't see the harm. Again, if there is even a CHANCE that it might remove say half the venom, is it worth it? Or 2/3rds? That might lesson the impact of it, and be what saves you. Same with a black widow. Maybe they don't work. Do we know? How many on here have used one? Do we have proof it doesn't work? By the same token, do we have proof it does?

Its light weight, and if I ma bitten, and two guys leave for 1.5 days to go get help, and I intend to try and slowly walk out, I will try to remove as much as possible with it. Simply do not understand how it would do harm.

 

[Bob Palin]

The evidence from controlled studies shows that a) the extractors don't remove much venom, 0-2%. and b) they do cause other injuries

for instance:

http://www.doctorross.co.za/wp-cont...-suction-devices-suck-emerg-med-clin-n-am.pdf

They sell because it seems logical that removing venom would be a good thing to do and that sucking would do it.

 

[BJett]

Ok, if you are truly concerned about a snakebite follow these simple rules...this is from personal experience. Stay calm. Don't let the freak out phase last long. Keep your heart rate low, bite area as low as possible. If it's a bite on the foot or leg and you are way out you won't be walking far due to swelling. Have friends get help. Go into zen mode and chill out even more. Might be a dry bite. If you're fit and healthy it might just be an annoyance. Venom is gonna do what it's gonna do no matter what.
You have a better chance of winning the lottery than dying from a snake or spider bite. Driving to the trailhead is more dangerous.
Maybe get a Delorme InReach instead of any kits. One button will signal an SOS.

 

[Nick]

This is a good article:

http://www.rei.com/share/rei-blog/2012/07/human_vs_rattlesnak.html

Some interesting tidbits from it:

Of the thousands of rattlesnake bite victims each year, only 6 to 10 people die.The deaths often involve cases of elderly patients and delayed hospital care. As a rescuer, your main concern should be transporting the patient to a hospital for prompt treatment with antivenom. It is hard to overstress the point that delaying hospital care, for any reason, is unacceptable.

Bad Idea: Suck out the venom
Why it is bad: Still not getting to the hospital ASAP. Plus, it's impossible. You can't do it. Studies have shown that even though venom-extractor devices will suck body fluids out of a wound, only about 0.04% of any venom injected will come with it. Meanwhile, you could be getting to the hospital. Bottom line: It's a waste of time.

A little prudence goes a long way toward preventing snake bites, and experts estimate your worst-case scenario chance of dying from a rattlesnake bite in the wilderness is about 1 in 10 million.Resolve to never pick up a snake, and you'll very probably be just fine.

 

[Nick]

One more...

• If you are farther away from a road, say, 2 to 4 hours or more, and if you don't have enough people to carry the patient, it makes sense to call 911 (if possible) and then have the patient walk (calmly) toward the road. Multiple-hour carries are unrealistic for adult-sized patients unless you have 12-18 rescuers on hand.
• In a very remote situation, if you have the ability to request a helicopter rescue, do it! If you are so far from help that walking won't get you anywhere in less than a day or so, well, the best choice might be to have the patient stay put and reserve his or her strength. Hopefully the victim will be lucky enough to sustain a dry bite or a mild envenomation—time will tell. A person who receives a high venom dose while many hours or more from a hospital is in a very bad situation.

 

[Bob Palin]

And of all the people that are bitten by snakes, the vast majority are young males and they are bitten in the hands, I wonder why that could be?

"Hold my beer..."

 

[River]

We walked along the cliffs near the Escalante after dark one evening. There were dozens of black widows if you look for them.

I was bit by a black widow in the Owyhees a few years ago. It sucked that night in the tent, but was better the next day.

 

[Bob]

Speaking of rattlesnakes, a friend sent me this pick, supposedly some shed hunters took it..

 

[Aldaron]

No, no...that's a picture from a nightmare I used to have as a kid.

 

[andyjaggy]

"A person who receives a high venom dose while many hours or more from a hospital is in a very bad situation."

That's probably all of us. Guess I need to go pick up my satellite communicator.

 

[John Kerby]

Well, again.....don't see it as hurting. I believe if someone went down with a bite, we'd be sending 2 guys for help, and the other 3 carrying him out. As fast as possible.

 

[Yvonne]

Speaking of rattlesnakes, a friend sent me this pick, supposedly some shed hunters took it..
View attachment 16549

cool!!
I would be happy if I could see at least one rattler, but normally I never see any while hiking in the desert.